5 Star Conversations by Brendon Granger & Technology4Hotels

5 Star Conversations

Welcome to 5 Star Conversations, where we uncover the career journeys and insights of the hotel industry’s most influential leaders. I’m your host, Brendon Granger. As an entrepreneur, hospitality technology ambassador, champion for charitable causes, mentor and speaker, I’m passionate about the industry and its people. Together, we’ll uncover the stories behind their careers, the pivotal moments that shaped them, and the valuable lessons they’ve learned along the way. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or practical advice to elevate your hospitality career, you’ve come to the right place.

Website

27 February 2026

5 Star Conversation with Dominic Egger on Leadership, AI & Sustainability

Dominic Egger’s episode of 5 Star Conversations is a wide-ranging look at what modern resort leadership really takes — from goal-setting and disciplined operations to guest experience, technology, and sustainability. Speaking from Phuket, Dominic shares his non-traditional path to senior leadership, starting in the kitchens of Switzerland with a clear aim to become an Executive Chef before 30,...

02 February 2026

5 Star Conversations: Another 2025 Best Of - Advice That Shaped Today's Leaders

For this Best Of 2025 edition of 5 Star Conversations, we asked a deceptively simple question: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received throughout your career? What emerged was not a list of neat soundbites, but a collection of lived moments—often unlabelled as “advice” at the time—that only revealed their meaning years later. Across the conversations, the most powerful guidance rarely came...

05 January 2026

5 Star Conversations: 2025 Best Of - What Today’s Leaders Tell the Next Generation

This compilation brings together one of the most consistent and heartfelt themes from 5 Star Conversations in 2025: advice for those entering, or considering, a career in hospitality. Across roles, regions and career stages, the message is clear. Hospitality is not a short-term play, but a deeply rewarding industry for those willing to learn, be patient and commit to the journey. The strongest...

01 December 2025

5 Star Conversations with Marcus Hanna - From Banquet Waiter to Chief Operating Officer

Marcus Hanna, Chief Operating Officer at La Vie Hotels & Resorts, shares a 25-year journey from banquet waiter at Sydney’s Regent (now Four Seasons) to leading luxury assets across Australia and Singapore—including the 2,030-room Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel The Stamford through a $200m transformation and COVID. He credits early discipline from rowing for teamwork and resilience, and...

03 November 2025

5 Star Conversations with Zoran Pejović - From Seafarer Roots to Luxury Resorts

Zoran Pejović, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer at Lošinj Hotels & Villas, joins us from Croatia to unpack two decades across luxury development and operations (Aman, Silversea, Celebrity). He shares how a scholarship re-routed him from politics into hospitality, why “elevator-pitch clarity” matters for leaders, and how his near-Buddhist worldview shapes decision-making. From early bar...

07 October 2025

5 Star Conversations with Wayne Taranto - Leading Ovolo’s Growth with Passion and Innovation

In this episode of 5 Star Conversations, I sat down with Wayne Taranto, the Chief Operating Officer of Ovolo Group. We talk about how Wayne's journey into hospitality started unexpectedly, despite initially considering a career in the building industry. A pivotal moment came when he secured a role at Bobby McGee's, a popular entertainment venue in the late 90s. This experience ignited his passion...

01 September 2025

5 Star Conversations with Mario Mendis - Future of Hotels: AI, Culture & Human Connection

In this episode of 5 Star Conversations, we sit down with international hotelier Mario Mendis, whose 26-year journey in hospitality began humbly as a kitchen hand in Brisbane. Mario shares how his early exposure to the industry through his father, combined with hands-on experiences in Sri Lanka and Dubai, shaped his deep-rooted passion for food and beverage. These formative years helped him build...

04 August 2025

5 Star Conversations with Wayne Williams - Scaling Minor Hotel Group Globally & Leading with Purpose

In this episode of Five Star Conversations, I sit down with Wayne Williams, CFO of the Minor Hotel Group. Over two decades, Wayne has played a key role in the group’s transformation—from 10 properties in Thailand to more than 560 hotels across 58 countries. We unpack the operational shifts, cultural adaptation, and leadership mindset that helped drive this global expansion, while staying true to...

08 July 2025

5 Star Conversations with Jason Nuell - From Food Runner to Marriott Regional VP - Jason Nuell on Leadership & the Future of Hospitality

In this episode of 5 Star Conversations, Jason reflects on a career built on resilience, curiosity, and the willingness to take the harder path. Having spent two decades abroad, he shares how stepping outside his comfort zone led to growth in diverse roles and destinations, culminating in a leadership position he’s proud to return home for, much to his father’s eventual approval (and ongoing...

02 June 2025

5 Star Conversations with Rene Balmer - From Executive Chef to Group GM

In this special international edition of 5 Star Conversations, filmed on location in Bangkok, we sit down with Rene Balmer, Group General Manager of Chatrium Hospitality. With nearly four decades in hospitality, Rene shares his fascinating journey from pastry chef in Switzerland to senior leadership in Thailand, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at one of Southeast Asia’s rising hotel...